Roruk
Originating from the planet Numen, only recently did the roruk master interstellar travel. Most of their species still lives in a pre-industrial state on their homeworld. The jungles and waterways of the mainland are treacherous, so most of their more technologically advanced cities are coastal. Being newcomers on the galactic stage, other sapient species often look down on them. Biology Physical Charateristics The roruk are a speices of sexually dimorphic mammals, or at least as close an anolog as can be found outside earth, with females being generaly smaller than males and supporting differing secondary sex characteristics. Their appearance is often considered deceptive as the roruk are neotenous in the extreme. Even as adults, roruk are usually shorter than humans at an average height of 1.4 meters and have an almost childlike appearance (exceptions exist in both areas), and because of their appearance and unfamiliarity with the other races, they are often mistaken for children. Anatomy The roruk possess a unique trait not found in any other sapient species in that they have four hearts located in various places throughout their body rather than a single heart which is the norm. Each heart works at half the strength a human of a heart, and because they beat asynchronously they provide a continuous flow of blood around the body. The roruk also bear a striking resemblance to humans, with the exception of their tails, ears and claws. This is an extreme example of convergent evolution and has not been noted to exist in bewteen any other species. Evolution The roruk evolved from an arborial primate like animal that lived primarily in inland jungles. The front set eyes of the roruk indicate that, like humans, they developed to some extent as predators, however they were also frequently the prey of some of the larger predatory animals. The roruk's claws helped them to climb and move through the dense canopies more easily, and despite the length and dexterity of their tails they are not prehensile and were used mostly for balance. Culture The Roruk are a proud, hard working species and prefer not borrow the work of others. This is part of the reason it took their species so long to achieve interstellar spaceflight. In fact the species has been in contact with others for considerable time, and prior to their ascent into space this contact caused some (albeit minimal) cultural changes. In roruk society, men and women have a equal status and responsibility. They are ruled by kings. Kings (the title is actually held by both male and female members of the species) are appointed with a special process. The most respected of the Roruk participate in a fighting tournament. The winner of the tournament is declared the king. Their first colony outside of their solar system was on the planet Ulns. Technology Unlike most sapient species (including humans), the Roruk created and used their technology primarily to sustain themselves and their planet. Stemming from a perception of deep spiritual connection to their home-world they refused to develop technology that damaged their native environment. Although this protected their land, the refusal to utilize consumptive machinery, fossil fuels, or even to pursue large scale mining operations pushed back their development significantly. Due to this they are the most recent species to develop faster than light travel, however they did achieve generalized spaceflight before the enkirid and were capable of colonizing a world within their own solar system. Roruk are typically nonviolent, and have developed methods of war only recently in response to the more aggressive species who display a more competitive mindset with regards to galactic resources. Their military armament consists primarily of limited ranged weaponry (usually comparatively primitive although exceptions do exist), in combat they always wear armor on their tails and claws because these areas are highly sensitive. Category:Sapient Species